Grupo Innovación has been providing romantic grupero since 1990, generally appealing to those who don't mind their norteño being laced with a big dose of Latin pop.
Innovación isn't hardcore norteño in the way that
los Tigres del Norte,
los Rieleros del Norte, Grupo Exterminador, or
los Huracanes del Norte are hardcore norteño, but they do well among listeners who fancy artists like
los Temerarios,
Intocable,
los Acosta,
Mojado,
los Rehenes de Javier Torres, and
los Yonic's -- in other words, the artists known for uniting regional Mexican music and romantic Latin pop.
Innovación founder/guitarist Francisco Javier Mina, in fact, doesn't mind the
Temerarios comparison, although he has been quick to point out that
Innovación's work is "más rítmico" -- more rhythmic -- and on
Lágrimas del Alma, the Amarillo, TX-based combo does, in fact, bring a lot of rhythmic appeal to the pop-minded grupero style. No one will mistake
Lágrimas del Alma (Tears of the Soul) for a
Tigres or Exterminador disc; there are no narco-corridos, and there is plenty of Latin pop sleekness and polish. But the rhythmic element is prominent nonetheless -- prominent on polkas like "Soy de Durango," "El Gigante," and "Si No La Tengo," prominent when the waltz beat is played on the title track, prominent when the beat of Mexican-style cumbia (as opposed to Colombian-, Bolivian-, or Argentine-style cumbia) is employed on "Con el Viento a Tu Favor" and a cover of
Ana Gabriel's "Quien Como Tu." And that rhythmic element doesn't mitigate or obscure the Latin pop factor or the band's romantic appeal. The Latin pop-meets-norteño approach has worked for
Innovación in the past and continues to work for them on this enjoyable, if less than groundbreaking, addition to their catalog. ~ Alex Henderson